What is trichomoniasis?
Trichomoniasis is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD). An STD is an infection that is spread from person to person by sexual contact. Trichomoniasis is more likely to cause symptoms in women than in men.
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The most common cause is having sex with an infected partner
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Infected women may have pain when urinating (peeing) and a lot of green or yellow liquid that comes out of the vagina (vaginal discharge)
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Men usually have no symptoms or have mild pain when urinating and frothy discharge from the penis
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Doctors treat trichomoniasis with antibiotics
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To help prevent this infection, use a condom when having sex
What causes trichomoniasis?
What are the symptoms of trichomoniasis?
How can doctors tell if I have trichomoniasis?
Women
Men
Your doctor usually suspects trichomoniasis when your female sex partner was diagnosed with it. In that case, your doctor will often just give you treatment without doing any tests.
To test you for trichomoniasis, your doctor will put a small cotton swab in your penis to get a sample. Your doctor will send the sample to a laboratory for testing.
How do doctors treat trichomoniasis?
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Doctors will give you an antibiotic (such as metronidazole or tinidazole) to take by mouth — women often only need one dose, but men may need to take the antibiotic for 5 to 7 days
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You should not drink alcohol for at least 72 hours after you take the antibiotic — it can make you feel sick, vomit, and have a headache
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Doctors will tell you not to have sex until your infection has gone away
Your sex partners should be checked by a doctor, who will prescribe the same antibiotic to them.
